We are among the most prepared for this unbundling – LASU don

By Glory Ojojo

The Head of Department, Journalism, in the School of Communication, Lagos State University, LASU, Ojo, Dr. J.P Jimoh, has said the university and the department are adequately prepared for the unbundling of the study of Mass Communication into seven departments by the National Universities Commission, NUC.

He stated this in a chat with Vanguard in his office.

“In 2000-2001 session, when we started this department, it started with seven departments which would have had students graduating with BSc Journalism, Public Relations and Advertising, Broadcast, etc, but the setback we had was that we didn’t have enough personnel to drive the vision we had about departmentalization of these courses,” he said.

READ ALSO: LASU: Sanwo-Olu, investors, sign deal to deliver 8,272 units of hostel in 18 months

Jimoh opined that the unbundling would be an advantage over previous policy “because Mass Communication is a very wide field and this, therefore, will make students master in certain areas as they will have deep knowledge in the departments they choose to go and study.”

He added that the students would still be taught basic knowledge in Mass Communication generally at the foundation level.

“For now, we cannot say when the new policy will kickstart in LASU but most likely, the set after the 2019/20 will be part of this new policy,” he said.

He further explained that for this exercise to start in LASU, the department needs to get the NUC’s approval which has already been given, then engage the management of the university on the allocation of resources.

READ ALSO: After two years in limbo, LASU ASUU elects new officers

Dr. Jimoh, therefore, said that the students resuming for the 2019/20 academic session would not be able to benefit from the new policy because they picked Mass Communication when they registered for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examinations and were offered admission for the same.

He also mentioned that graduates with BSc Mass Communication would still be very much recognised, as it is not always about the course studied in the university but the intellectual strength and professionalism the individual brings into the practice.

vanguard